Ever been fired unexpectedly?

The One Doctor

Ironically, a week after being given notice my contract has been extended until October.

Happy days!

Butterface

When I was around 19 I got let go from a call centre after about a week of cold-calling. I absolutely hated it and was delighted to be fired. I don't think I got paid for the week either.

cletus van damme

been fired twice. Both within 6 month probabtion.
great things happened to me immediately after both events so didn't work out too bad.
Have to say i didn't see either coming but I knew both werent working out too good.

redundancy would have been nice.
In 2nd of those roles the manager promised me a month's salary but they only paid me 2 weeks - I rang the HR and they told me to f-off and read the T&Cs.
anyway it was ****e place i was only hanging on so it wouldn't look too bad on my cv leaving a job after 5 month.
Didn't matter in the end.

had 6 interviews in 2 weeks, bagged a lovely role and brought my son away to legoland between that and the start date.

Ruu

Yes, I work for a chap named Montgomery Burns. I must have been fired at least 10 times, always get my job back some way or another.

grundie

I was made redundant a few years back. I was taken on to work on R&D stuff as the owner expected their business to thrive in a recession - it didn't.

He did it one week before my two year mark, so no redundancy money.

I would have left it at that, but two things happened. A rival firm tried to head hunt me and that drove the owner of the original company in to a frenzy that involved me having to get a restraining order against him. He claimed I was passing on trade secrets and came to my home every night for a week demanding I sign paperwork promising never to work in the field of invoicing software ever again. He said if I didn't he would tell the Guards I had stolen his code and passed it on to a rival.

Secondly he advertised for replacement two days after I completed the 30 day notice period. He was hiring a junior developer at a much lower salary, by rights he should have asked me if I was interested before making me redundant.

I took him to a tribunal and got a few grand out of it.

The owner was a bit odd. He ranted at my solicitor about why I wasn't taking his demands to sign his paperwork seriously, my solicitor responded by telling him the fact that I was seeking a restraining order was as serious as I could possibly take the matter. After I won the tribunal case, the owner had another rant at my solicitor telling him i had ruined his plans to cut costs by making other devs redundant and rehiring new ones at lower cost. My solicitor had to advise him to shut up as he was taking notes and they could come back to haunt him.

Going Strong

The One Doctor wrote: »

Ironically, a week after being given notice my contract has been extended until October.

Happy days!

Hooray!

A while back now but I had the opposite happen. I was told my contract was being extended and that I'd be joining a new project. Two weeks before my current contract expired, I was at a couple of meetings about the new project and got taken to a newly fitted out room and told "Pick a desk."

A week before my current contract expired, I was brought in to a meeting and told "Well, good luck and thanks." No explanation given despite me asking why the change of heart. The rest of that week was rather awkward as everyone tried to pretend I wasn't there at all.

wonski

I was fired only once, but I didn't mind at all. I gave a 1 month's notice letter and 1 week later my manager called me into his office to inform me that he was going to fire me anyway (good timing) and asked me to leave. Fully paid for the whole month so happy days.

Spent a lovely summer in Ireland and got a job just after my final pay from that job.

Ray Palmer

wonski wrote: »

I was fired only once, but I didn't mind at all. I gave a 1 month's notice letter and 1 week later my manager called me into his office to inform me that he was going to fire me anyway (good timing) and asked me to leave. Fully paid for the whole month so happy days.

Spent a lovely summer in Ireland and got a job just after my final pay from that job.

I had something similar happen to me. Handed in my notice and a week later my direct manager called me in to fire me. It ended up being a really strange conversation with him telling how he was disappointed in me and that was why I was being fired. I apparently did nothing wrong so when I asked him to explain why he was firing me he couldn't give me a reason. I even tried to give him the logic of needing me out because I was leaving and information was sensitive. No I was fired for no reason other than I disappointed him by handing my notice in. So I went home

The next day I got a call from his manager to ask me to come in and work my notice and I had to explain I had been fired the day before. He didn't know. So a few more calls and a request for me to come in the next day for a chat to sort it out. Said I had made plans and would come in the next day.

Went in and it was basically them apologising for crossed wires and that a mistake had been made by my manager. I completely agreed but said how could I work for them given how terrible they were at their job and that it was the main reason I was leaving. Explaining to them that it would completely undermine his position. In the end they agreed to pay me for the month and had me come in for a few days to do a handover of what I was working on. The manager was out on the days I was in I never got an explanation to why he thought I was to be fired other than them basically saying he misunderstood comments about the fact I was leaving.

wonski

Ray Palmer wrote: »

I had something similar happen to me. Handed in my notice and a week later my direct manager called me in to fire me. It ended up being a really strange conversation with him telling how he was disappointed in me and that was why I was being fired. I apparently did nothing wrong so when I asked him to explain why he was firing me he couldn't give me a reason. I even tried to give him the logic of needing me out because I was leaving and information was sensitive. No I was fired for no reason other than I disappointed him by handing my notice in. So I went home

The next day I got a call from his manager to ask me to come in and work my notice and I had to explain I had been fired the day before. He didn't know. So a few more calls and a request for me to come in the next day for a chat to sort it out. Said I had made plans and would come in the next day.

Went in and it was basically them apologising for crossed wires and that a mistake had been made by my manager. I completely agreed but said how could I work for them given how terrible they were at their job and that it was the main reason I was leaving. Explaining to them that it would completely undermine his position. In the end they agreed to pay me for the month and had me come in for a few days to do a handover of what I was working on. The manager was out on the days I was in I never got an explanation to why he thought I was to be fired other than them basically saying he misunderstood comments about the fact I was leaving.

I was informed by other employees that they had a history of people leaving and doing some damage to the company on last days. That wouldn't apply to me really as i was more than happy with the job itself. The money was the only reason I was leaving, really.

We had an access to sensitive and confidential information, one of the reasons, I guess.

I didn't like their idea of walking me up to the gates without even having a chance to say good bye to everyone.
It was a lovely day and I was happy to be paid for doing nothing for 3 weeks anyway.

Strange things happen when you want to leave...

The One Doctor

...and they changed their minds again. 3 weeks of garden leave though, not too bad.

Bugger.

Mince Pie

Just got laid off yesterday myself. Last week next week and paid till the end of the month. Stressed doesn't even come close. Can't sleep worrying about having to sign on!
Been messaging everyone I know to let me know if they hear of anything. It totally sucks.

The One Doctor

Mince Pie wrote: »

Just got laid off yesterday myself. Last week next week and paid till the end of the month. Stressed doesn't even come close. Can't sleep worrying about having to sign on!
Been messaging everyone I know to let me know if they hear of anything. It totally sucks.

I have to admit that I'm not stressed, something will turn up and if it doesn't, well the dole covers my rent etc with a bit to spare. Plus I saved a ****load during my time in the job, but I'll try not to touch that. Of course I'll start looking for a job tomorrow, but I see nothing useful in stressing about it.

Mince Pie

The One Doctor wrote: »

I have to admit that I'm not stressed, something will turn up and if it doesn't, well the dole covers my rent etc with a bit to spare. Plus I saved a ****load during my time in the job, but I'll try not to touch that. Of course I'll start looking for a job tomorrow, but I see nothing useful in stressing about it.

No nest egg here I'm afraid so nothing to lean on. And have glastonbury booked and paid for as a 40th birthday treat for myself. So timing is pretty crappy.
I mean I'll get by on the dole in the short term but it really is a shítty situation. At least its not the middle of winter. Easier to be happier outside in the sunshine walking the dogs when you're brassic.

The One Doctor

Mince Pie wrote: »

No nest egg here I'm afraid so nothing to lean on. And have glastonbury booked and paid for as a 40th birthday treat for myself. So timing is pretty crappy.
I mean I'll get by on the dole in the short term but it really is a shítty situation. At least its not the middle of winter. Easier to be happier outside in the sunshine walking the dogs when you're brassic.

Well, I'm sitting back with a pina colada. I'll worry about finding a job tomorrow.

Bozo Skeleton

Twice, both for the same reason. I work in bars. One example. I came in for my shift on a Friday night to find the doors closed. Turns out they'd closed down without telling any of the staff.
Between unpaid wages, holiday money, and redundancy, I was owed €7,000. Took 10 weeks for dole to come through, and 2 years for the money owed through the Labour Court.
All is good now, this was 5 years ago. But so frustrating to be utterly skint and owed €7,000 tied up in red tape.
Yeah, that was a nightmare, I'm venting it

Awkward Badger

Not very smart on the part of the company to fire The One Doctor they had working there...

steddyeddy

metaoblivia wrote: »

The job I had before my current one tried to let me go stealthily. In the summer they announced a move and merge to take place in December 2013. Of course it meant that the admin staff was going to be cut because when two companies merge, they don't need two full admin staffs. I was told I was going over with them, though and that people from the other office would be let go. But I didn't believe them - so I started job hunting immediately.

Sure enough, in December, on our last day in the old office (which I had packed up all by myself and gotten ready to move), they called me in and let me go. They were overstaffed and had to cut 2 or 3 more people in addition to me. It was two weeks before Christmas. They offered no severance pay and didn't even intend on paying me for coming in that day. Just, "Thanks for working for us for two years, we no longer need you, let us know if you need a letter of recommendation, good luck and Merry Christmas."

But as it turned out, I didn't need a letter of recommendation because the very next day, I not only got a job offer, but that offer was 3 times what I had been paid working for them. When my old boss found out - he didn't even have the balls to fire me himself, he had pawned it off on his partner - he got super mad that I had used personal days to go on interviews (I had told them I had some personal business to deal with) and that I was telling people I was let go two weeks before Christmas with no warning and no severance pay because it made them look bad. One of the most glorious moments of my life was telling that asshole that, A. Had they been honest with me about their plans to let me go in December once they moved, I would have been honest with them about my job search and B. If you you don't want to "look bad" as an employer don't do sh!tty things to your employees. And he backed right off. He was kind of bully, so I think he wasn't used to someone standing up to him.

But yeah! That's my story. Very happy at my new job, by the way. I do a lot more, work with great people and thoroughly enjoy it. Sometimes getting fired works out for the best.

You're a legend! Fair play

rannerap

yep last week my probation period contract was up and was told they are not keeping me, they are getting rid of my position and redistributing my tasks to other staff members, My last day is tomorrow! Hoping I get something soon!

WilyCoyote

In my 30s working in London ......... got a phone call during a lock-in at my local well after midnight. My then boss ........ and he gave me the high jump. Couldn't blame him at the time. We're still friends though ........ him in NZ and me here
Incidentally, that was the second of such sackings and was re-instated after a week long exercise in Bacchanalianism

suicide_circus

Got fired once but it was for gross incompetence so it's ok.

Teyla Emmagan

Was made redundant from my first proper job at 27. Got a job more or less immediately but I was devastated over the whole thing and took it far too personally. Took me years to get over!

More fool me.

bear1

I used to work for a banks credit card division. Job was in Naas and I lived in Tramore so you can imagine the joys of driving that every day.
Worked like a dog and was constantly being monitored by my superior, any small detail she would call me out on.
Sometimes I was right and sometimes I was wrong.
She just had some sort of problem with me, anytime I would say hello or just go for a friendly chat she would move away.
One day I was in the middle of a call when I get an email to go to her office.
Finished up the call and went to the office where it was herself and the HR guy. She didn't mutter a word except a slight smile when the guy told me to pack my things and leave at 5.
Signed the confidentiality clause and went back to my desk.
The most awkward 2 hours of my life but I didn't bother answering a single call or email.
Was paid the final 2 weeks and off I went.
Being the boom times I got a job a week later in Waterford so more money for me.
Sometimes getting fired can be the best thing that can happen to you.

Skerries

WilyCoyote wrote: »

Incidentally, that was the second of such sackings and was re-instated after a week long exercise in Bacchanalianism

That is a word I only heard of recently and is going to be my disease of choice when asked

The One Doctor

Interview on Tuesday. That was surprisingly fast.

drumswan

The One Doctor wrote: »

I was handed my notice today and while it wasn't a massive shock (I've seem similar signs in other big companies before receiving a swift boot to my overfed arse) or my fault it's still not particularly pleasant. Our first baby is currently in the plush residence of my girlfriend's womb and will be evicted in December, so there's no massive hurry and we've some savings, but still, needs must.
Y
So AHers, have you ever experienced the heavy hand of unexpected unemploydasment rearrange you jaw?

T
Sr